Big Weekend Preview
Alex! What should we catch at the Big Weekend?
BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend live from Earlham Park may be an opportunity to see some of the biggest performing artists in the world – it’s no secret that the likes of Taylor Swift, Foo Fighters and Muse will be descending on the city this weekend – but sometimes it’s best to look through the starlight and focus on the smaller, more unspoken acts from the festival line up. Big Weekend is no exception, so with that in mind, here are my picks of the top acts to see at Radio 1’s Big Weekend.
Slaves (In New Music… Stage, Saturday)
Having smashed headline and support slots at the UEA, Waterfront and Epic Studios alongside Jamie T and Blood Red Shoes and their first ever sold out headline gig at The Owl Sanctuary, this rapidly exploding punk/grunge duo make a welcome return to Norwich on the Saturday of Big Weekend. Despite being the opening act on the In New Music We Trust stage, their sound is enormous and fierce, comparable to that of Royal Blood and even reminiscent of the Sex Pistols – expect a wild crowd and lots of screaming. Latest single Cheer Up London is a raucous, bass fuelled snarl of a song with an infectious chorus, preceding the band’s second album Are You Satisfied? out June 1st. Didn’t get Big Weekend tickets? Slaves play Norwich Waterfront on November 18th with tickets on sale this Friday.
Charli XCX (Main Stage, Saturday)
She may only just be reaching the lime light but Charli XCX has already been the brains behind a string of global pop hits including Icona Pop’s I Love It and Fancy with Iggy Azalea as well as her own Boom Clap and Doing It featuring Rita Ora. Her Big Weekend set promises to be something different though, if her latest album Sucker is anything to go by – choc full of electronic and punk pop references it proves that XCX is no normal pop star and her tongue in cheek, girl-power attitude is sure to go down a treat in Earlham Park. Her effortlessly cool stage presence and eccentric outfits won’t be something to miss, and with the number of high profile collabs she has under her belt, a surprise guest wouldn’t be unexpected.
Jungle (In New Music… Stage, Sunday)
Truly one of the most unique acts on the Big Weekend line-up, Jungle are a self described modern soul musical collective from London. They’re at the top of their game right now, having been shortlisted for the 2014 Mercury Prize with their eponymous debut album and achieving massive success with singles The Heat and Busy Earnin’. Their sound explores retro, 70s styles through funk and R&B elements alongside snippets of life in their native west London. As for the live experience, it will be all about the atmosphere so be prepared for pure golden groove flowing from the stage like sunlight through the trees.
SOAK (In New Music… Stage, Sunday)
The youngest act on the Big Weekend line-up aged just 18, SOAK’s debut album Before We Forgot How to Dream is released at the end of May. Before that she will grace the stage in Earlham Park with songs like Sea Creatures and B a noBody which landed her a spot on the BBC Sound of 2015 poll at the end of last year. Unlike her tomboy appearance her vocals are delicate and almost fragile sounding, much like her gentle, charming guitar and piano accompaniments. At Big Weekend expect a captivating and exciting set from this up and coming star.
On The Intro Stage…
BBC Introducing are also hosting their own stage on both days of the show, including some promising new acts who captivate a wide range of styles and genres. Here are my favourites from each day:
Fickle Friends are a 5-piece Brighton based band who incorporate elements of 80s new wave pop alongside bubble-gum choruses and female vocals (courtesy of front-woman Natti Shiner) to create feel good indie pop music. They’ve already toured with JAWS and are at a whole host of festivals this summer, supporting their new release, the Velvet EP. Fickle Friends play the BBC Intro stage this Saturday, preceded by a warm up show at Propaganda at Norwich Waterfront on Friday night.
CLAWS are the go-to indie kids of Norwich, having supported The Subways, Slaves and more. Their No Sleep EP, available for free online, combines garage rock with aggressive post-teen attitude that’s been picked up by the likes of NME Magazine and BBC Introducing Norfolk. They play the intro stage at 12.45pm on Sunday.
Alex Cabré
